I had a crazy idea last fall to breed one of my Jerseys to a mini Highland bull. I’ve wanted a little fluffy cow of my own and thought why not raise one myself. I found a bull and had to …
We start milking at 4 a.m., well before the sun comes up. Each morning, I watch the sky light up with the most beautiful colors just before the sun peaks through the horizon. The sunrise brings …
The state fair has been a longtime tradition to so many, and Wisconsin celebrated its 175th fair this year. It really is quite something to see! The quality of exhibits …
Another county fair has come and gone — way too quickly, I might add. It is always a week that we look forward to plan our summer around. My favorite part is watching how much the kids have …
On my weekly trip to the grocery store, I overheard a customer commenting on beef prices. Things like, “Can you believe the price of this? I bet the farmer is rolling in dough.” Hold it …
As dairy farmers, we are always thinking of ways to improve cow comfort. And this year, we are kicking off our project list in a big way to improve cow comfort: a new roof. Now, you may be …
Calf jackets — I have a love/hate relationship with them. I love that they help keep the teeny tiny future-of-the-farm members snuggly warm in the winter. But those same cute little faces turn into …
Snowstorm Elsa, we are not friends. In fact, I was in full-force spring mode. After the 65-degree weather just a week earlier, I was really geared up thinking we might get an early …
Loyal. The first word that comes to mind to describe my horse of 27 years. I remember the day I picked him up. He was 8 months old, had never been on a trailer, had very little handling and made …
My sister sent me a very precious picture the other night that got me thinking. How old are kids — those that are around cows — when they start milking cows? I didn’t grow up around cows, …
Sometimes, goals take a little longer to achieve than you expected. They may even change a little along the way. The original goal may seem out of reach, and you feel like giving up. …
Is anyone else trying to figure out how it’s December already? Maybe it’s because winter came so quickly. Here in Wisconsin, our first snowstorm of the year dropped 7 inches in our …
A surprise calf had a rough start to the day when his mama decided she was getting uncomfortable and delivered in a not-so-great spot. We scooped up the little guy and gave him a nice, warm bath and …
Sometimes, as farmers, we have to make some pretty tough decisions. We try to take the information we know and weigh out all the “what ifs.” We recently had a cow that was …
My sister and I haven’t shared a love for horses since we were little. We got our first pony when I was about 9, and my sister would have been about 5. We still have that pony 31 years …
What does this time of year look like on your farm? A person not from a farm asked me this one day, and I had to stop and think because there are two perspectives here: inside and outside. …
It doesn’t take long to realize how much you take things for granted until they’re not there or not working. I woke up this morning at 3:40 a.m. like usual. I made my way to the …
I have mentioned a time or two that fall is my favorite time of year, and I love all the things that go with it. The coolness in the air, the hint of color poking through on the trees, apples, …
The county fair has been the highlight of my summer for as long as I can remember. We would go every year as a family and spend the whole day there. My favorite part was seeing all the animals. I …
One question we ask ourselves quite often is “What is best for the cows?” Whether it’s a new purchase, an improvement or daily decisions, cow comfort has been on our radar …